Christmas with the Waynes
by iluvaqt
Summary: Part of the Legs We Stand On series. Chloe and Bruce celebrate Christmas with their boys, and nothing could be more perfect until trouble strikes.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Christmas With The Waynes  
**Fandom:** Smallville/ DC Comics/ Batman - Nolan Verse  
**Pairing/Characters: **Chloe/Bruce  
**Rating:** R (sexual material, kink)  
**Disclaimer:** all characters belong to CW/DC Comics  
**Word Count:**3373  
**Spoilers/Warnings:** Not beta read.  
**Summary:** Part of the Legs We Stand On series. Chloe and Bruce celebrate Christmas with their boys, and nothing could be more perfect until trouble strikes.  
**Notes:** Christmas themed one-shot requested by Dream4.

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Bruce awoke to find himself alone in the bed. The fireplace was crackling, the tall flames burning bright. Outside the window the snow was falling softly. It must have snowed all night because the glass panes were frosted over and snow was piled high on the window ledge. He sat up and leaned back against the headboard with a frown. He didn't like sleeping alone, he'd gotten used to his tiny, blonde-haired, radiant-heat emitting bed buddy, and he liked it even less when he woke up without her beside him, her glorious smile on her face as she greeted him good morning. He wondered where she could have got to before he recalled what day it was.

He sighed throwing back the covers. Even with the fire, the chill hit him immediately and he shuffled stiffly to the armchair where she must have left his robe out to warm for him. He pushed his arms into the sleeves and folded the terry cloth over his boxers, belting it at the waist.

Running a hand through his hair to tidy his short black curls, he went to the bathroom to at least wash his face and brush his teeth before he went in search for her.

He found his family in the sitting room, the boys all on the floor by the tree, tearing into presents while Chloe and Alfred looked on. His family. His heart swelled at the thought. He'd never dreamed he would find this for himself, that with all the tragedy, challenges and dangers in his life. He'd despaired that he could ever be blessed this way. After Rachel he'd given up believing that there could be someone who would not only accept this other part, integral, necessary and dark side of himself but also that he would allow himself to get close to. Chloe had been a surprise. On so many fronts. She'd barreled into his life, right into danger. She refused to let him distance himself, she refused to stay in the relative safety he wanted to keep her in. She was all in or not at all. So he'd trained her still believing that he could keep her away from danger. He should have known she was too spirited and stubborn to ever stay locked away. If trouble didn't find her, she always managed to find it. He chuckled softly, at least with her healing ability it took the edge of his worry over her recklessness just a smidgen. He'd never not worry, she was his life.

Alfred was getting on, he tried not to let his weariness show but Bruce noticed everything. How much harder he was leaning on his cane these days, how quickly he tired, how his hands shook sometimes. Parkinson's. It had crept up on him and surprised all of them. There were treatments but Alfred refused to submit to anything radical. He dismissed it as nerves and old age. He refused to be fussed over. So he and Chloe bowed to his wises, subtly doing their best to lighten his load. He still insisted that he was Butler and caretaker of their family. They'd hired a cleaner to come in twice a week and Chloe cooked as much as she could so that Alfred didn't stand for hours in the kitchen every night. They also made a point to go out as a family to a restaurant once a week. Alfred joining of course, he'd ceased being the help and had become a member of the family long before Bruce had decided to come out of anonymity and return to Gotham well over a decade ago.

Chloe turned and spotted him in the doorway, she smiled her heart warming smile he knew was solely reserved for him.

"Good morning, my nocturnal husband."

She put her arm around his waist and kissed him thoroughly and deeply, to the collective groans of distaste from their boys. Bruce smirked at them over her shoulder and Chloe turned to them, still hugging them.

"I guess we can open the rest now." She untangled herself from him and squeezed his hand. "You had a late night, so I didn't want to wake you. Tried to rein these guys in until you could join us. No easy feat let me tell you."

Bruce grinned. "I can imagine."

"Thanks for the season's Knights tickets, Bruce. And for the bike," Dick said and they shared a nod. He wouldn't elaborate because they both knew how bad Damian wanted to learn to ride, and if he knew that Bruce had given a new prototype Pod bike to Dick, he might ask for Dick's old bike, or even worse, start with the begging for lessons again. "Kara will be here soon with a couple of things for everyone."

Chloe groaned. "I hope Lois and Clark didn't go crazy again with the gifts. I know they like spoiling you guys but they can't really afford a lot on their reporter salaries."

Bruce snorted. They both knew that people practically threw their merchandise at Superman in the hopes that he'd endorse them or even be caught wearing or using it. Most he could politely decline but the stuff that was just dumped at the Daily Planet for forwarding, he was kind of at a loss to return. Especially if Lois or Jimmy saw it first. The bigger stuff he guilt-ed them into returning, but other things he just didn't have the heart to deprive her off. Like a remote controlled hover camera or Louis Vuitton luggage. And even more often than not, they were genuine thank you gifts. For the hero work Superman did. And no matter how many times he said it, that he didn't done the uniform and do hero work for reward, there would always be those special few who would always want to express their gratitude anyway they could.

Kara appeared behind him and the draft chased her in. She shook off the snow from her winter coat and looked at her boots sheepishly. They were leaving wet puddles on the floor. "Sorry. Smallville's snowed in too. But I come bearing gifts!"

There were eager shouts and Damian and Tim waited patiently for Kara to hand out their presents. Dick stood and strolled over, hugging Kara and kissed her lightly with a grin. "Missed you," he whispered.

Kara blushed and pushed him back gently. "Knock it off you, I saw you this morning. Advantages of super-speed, I can be everywhere I need to be. Lois says that she's only doing the kids this year. Said you guys have all the luck, kids and loads of money."

Chloe nodded, knowing that while Lois would have said it in jest there was a pain she couldn't share behind the message. They were hesitant to adopt because of Clark's secret. Chloe hoped that the trials Clark was experimenting with in the Fortress using blue Kryptonite would yield the results they wished for. Unlike Dax-Ur who had worn a blueK bracelet to pursue a human relationship, Clark couldn't do that and still be Superman. Lois had spoken with Dax's daughter. It had taken her parents years of trying after they got married with her father wearing the bracelet every day for her to be conceived. Lois and Clark didn't have that kind of time to hope and wait. Just as Gotham would always need Batman, Metropolis and the world needed Superman.

With torn festive paper all over the rug, spreading to the polished wood floor and the two boys thoroughly spoiled with more gifts than they could possibly use in a year, Chloe made a mental note to remember to take them down to the Wayne Children's Ward and Gotham City Metro Hospital later in the day. They had made it a tradition to forward one of the gifts they'd received to someone else, and also to hand out a gift they'd especially purchased before hand for each child in admission. They also had dinner duty at the homeless shelter at St. John's Cathedral tonight, with new woolen coats and hats for the poor.

Chloe sat in Bruce's lap and rubbed her nose against his. "You gave me a very thoughtful gift, darling. I didn't realize I'd been so obvious about where I wanted to spend New Years."

Bruce squeezed her closer and buried his face in her neck, kissing her until she giggled and squirmed in his arms. "Family is as important to me as it is to you. And you know that nothing makes me happier than to see you smile."

Chloe's eyes glistened with tears. "Do you think you can handle being away though?" she asked wiping at her eyes.

Bruce kissed a spot that she'd missed, dotting away the wet trail her happy tears had left. "It's only for a couple of days. Dick and Kara promised to stay on till we get back."

"My Mom's going to love it. I should call her and let her know, but I have to give you your present yet."

Bruce careened to look over her shoulder. "There's nothing left under there. If there was I'm sure our two sleuths in the making would have pounced on it by now," he said with a laugh.

Chloe arched an eyebrow at him. "It's for your eyes only," she said touching her head to his and whispering to him softly.

Bruce gulped, his body hardening at the implication of her words immediately. He cleared his throat and looked over to his family lounging around the sitting room, enjoying a late brunch Alfred had served up. "You guys can handle yourself for awhile? I have... Just got an alert that I need to deal with."

Dick moved to stand as Bruce did and Kara held him back. "Not that kind of an alert," she said pointedly.

And Chloe laughed, tugging her slightly flustered husband to the doorway. "You kids behave. Alfred, you're in charge of course."

"Yes, ma'am."

Chloe rolled her eyes as he dipped at them with a knowing smile. They would always be his two young headstrong charges in his eyes.

Reaching their bedroom, Chloe threw a few more logs on the fire and stoked it before turning to Bruce. "Make yourself comfortable, here or there," she said motioning to the rug in front of the mantle and their king-size bed.

He took a seat in the armchair and smirked at her.

Chloe disappeared into the bathroom and before she re-entered the bedroom, she used the remote to turn off all the lights. The only light in the room was coming from the pale light coming through the frost covered window and the fireplace.

Bruce got to his feet drinking in the sight of her, his jaw dropping and his hands falling uselessly to his sides. "When did you? How did you?"

It was Chloe's turn to smirk in satisfaction at her costume drawing the desired reaction from her stoic, unflappable husband. "You like?" She uncoiled her whip and cracked it, the tightly braided leather hissing through the air and snapping at the vacant space inches from his hip.

He smiled devilishly at her. "Been making new friends I see."

"Selena and I have always been civil. When Barbara and I helped her and Holly start fresh, new IDs, new jobs, new house, she taught me a few tricks. I always knew it wasn't the outfit that you really had a secret kink over. It's this." She cracked the whip again.

Bruce stalked toward her and she stopped him in his tracks, using the whip to pin his arms to his sides.

"You're gonna want me to touch you, you like it when I touch you," he said his voice deepening, almost to his Batman persona.

Chloe walked closer, her five inch pencil heels causing her to walk more slowly than she usually would. She leaned in close, the bottom cut out of the cowl allowing her to rub her chin along his jaw and the shell of his ear before she licked his earlobe and nibbled on it lightly, driving him wild. He had very sensitive ears, another way he related to his bats. Though they still unsettled him now and then, he preferred their company to having to attend society functions or suffer degenerate thugs any day of the week.

Bruce licked his suddenly dry lips, he had developed a terminal case of cotton mouth while staring at her. He needed to kiss her, he itched to touch her, he could easily slip out of this hold but he wanted to have her fun. He could see that she was enjoying this dominant act, and he was enjoying the show.

She walked them back to the edge of the bed, and he allowed himself to fall back on the covers. Chloe put her knee between his legs and parted them. "The strong and powerful Bruce Wayne is just going to lie there and take it?"

He's eyes glittered dangerously. "Be careful, my darling. You taunt a sleeping tiger enough, he just might stir and maul you."

"Maybe I want to be challenged, maybe I like danger," she said smirking down at him, lifting her knee to run along the seam of his boxers, feeling his bulging length straining against the fabric.

Bruce sat up and stole her lips in a bruising kiss, it was all teeth and tongues dueling for dominance and when Chloe tried to pull back he latched onto her bottom lip, catching it with his teeth, only letting her go slowly when her hand ripped his boxers from his hips and she took his throbbing aching hardness in her hand, pumping ruthlessly.

He shuddered and leaned into her, his face nosing her cleavage. She wore black leather matching underwear with a leather garter belt holding up sheer black stockings. What he couldn't feel with his hands, he'd make do via other methods. He ran his stubble covered cheek over her sensitive breasts, feeling her shiver and her rhythm faltered. He used his teeth to pull down one of the cups and took her rosy nipple into his mouth. He lapped and rolled his tongue around the tip and sucked until he heard her cry out. He was just about to repeat the move on her other breast when she dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth.

He swore loudly when her warm wet cavernous mouth took his length whole. She worked him from the his leaking head, all the way to his balls and he couldn't hold back anymore. He wrestled himself free from the whip and slid his hand under the cape, wrapping his hand around her neck, fingering the edge of her custom made cowl. He could just feel the locks of her blonde hair tucked under there, out of sight. He released the strangle hold he had on the coverlet with his other hand and cupped her chin. "Sweetheart, stop. When I come, I want it to be inside you with your wet sex coaxing it out of me. Come here, you minx."

Chloe crawled up and sat astride him. She released the catch on the cowl and pulled it from her head. The cape falling from her shoulders and hitting the floor behind her. She ran her hands through her long locks and shook out her sweaty hair. Bruce shrugged off his robe as he watched her. While he'd enjoyed her gift, while he was still enjoying it, he never appreciated the use of his hands more than that moment, being able to hold her, to drag her closer till their bodies met and he could kiss her as she deserved. As he always did, with gentleness, thorough attention and love.

Reaching between them, Chloe pushed her panties to the side, took him in her hand and slowly inched down onto him. Their union always brought a sense of completion that neither had ever felt with anyone else. They fit together, they belonged together and now they were one in every sense of the word. They fought together, they raised a family together, they lived together and they loved each other, wholly and completely.

Bruce let her set the pace but soon he gripped her hips and flipped them back so that she was lying beneath him, her legs hooked behind him as he drove into her deeply and steadily.

His kissed every available expanse of skin he could reach and thanked her foresight at having a front clasping bra, so he could get it out of the way without destroy it. He rather fancied her new outfit, her Christmas present for him.

Soon she was crying out and clenching down on him hard. He drove into her, thrusting wildly, sweat rolling down the valley of his back and his neck and chest, lasting a few more seconds before his own climax hit. He lowered himself slowly, mindful not to crush her with his weight and chuckled lightly when she wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly, before rocking them expertly, flipping them over. She kept them joined as she straddled him, running her palms along his slick body and up to cup either side of his face.

"I think this view could grow on me," he teased. "You could make a habit out of it, and then I'd turn into one of those really lazy husbands that let their wives do all the work."

Chloe kissed him softly and tapped his nose thoughtfully with a grin, shaking her head before she leaned down to kiss him again. "You couldn't do it," she said whispering, her lips a breath from his. "You like behind in control to much." Her mouth twitched with a grin and he grinned back.

"Who says I can't still be in control with you on top?" he said tickling her ribs. Chloe let out a squeal of laughter and fell to the side.

He was about to attack her again when a familiar bleeping sound caught their attention.

"Duty calls," she teased playfully.

Bruce growled in irritation and propped himself up on one elbow to retrieve his Batman communicator module from the nightstand. "Can't they give us Christmas off? They're not only evil, insane and self involved, they're Scrooges."

"Says the man who never celebrated Christmas or any holiday at all, until I came along."

Bruce looked across at her fondly and traced her cheek. "You gave me a reason to celebrate. You gave me a family, Chloe."

She traced his bottom lip with her thumb and he took her wrist and kissed her palm. "I love you, Bruce. Merry Christmas," she said leaning across to kiss him thoroughly. She pulled back reluctantly with a wink. "Now get to work," she said slapping playfully on his delicious naked behind before rolling out of the bed.

Bruce glared at her, his eyes turning predatory before he launched over and dragged her back. He pinned her to the mattress and he kissed each of her breasts and the spot when her could feel her still thundering heart beat, before he touched his forehead to hers. "Stay safe out there with the boys."

Chloe snorted, her eyes smarting a little and her heart pounding to the point of almost bursting with the way he was watching her. So many years together and still the love and intensity of his gaze could set her heart racing. "Same to you, lover. Come back in one piece."

Bruce gave her one last kiss and pulled on his robe to head for the cave. After he left, she got ready, showered and changed and took the boys down to the hospital. It was beyond freezing outside, and they had to rug up to the hilt with hats, scarves, gloves, winter boots and thick wool coats. Alfred had put the snow chains on and drove even slower and more carefully than usual which meant it took twice as long to reach the hospital. But Alfred, ever cautious wouldn't be hurried and for once Chloe enjoyed the ride, in no great hurry to be anywhere but enjoy the winter wonderland that Gotham had been transformed into over night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes:** TessFan, thank you for reading. I'm glad you liked the first half, I'm working on polishing the rest. In the meantime, here's part of it. Are you Dream4?

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**Highway C7 West, Gainsly**

They were done with the afternoon tea festivities, playing Kris Kringle to the children and the staff on the ward and on their way to the homeless shelter when her cellphone rang. It was Dick. He'd provided Bruce with back up so that Tim wouldn't get out of going to the hospital. It would look very conspicuous if both Bruce and Tim didn't show up representing the Wayne family at the Christmas celebration in the hospital wing dedicated to his father's legacy.

"Chloe, you need to get back here."

He didn't explain why or elaborate further before she heard the line cut. The car rocked slightly before they were zipping through the almost white Gotham sky. Barely a minute passed before they saw the grand sight of Wayne Manor looming closer. Kara set them down under the entry way and Alfred cut the engine. Chloe got out of the car and raced up the stairs to the double doors before Kara had even touched down.

The boys were hot on her heels, she kicked off her wet slippery boots and ran as fast as her dress would allow, activating the hidden panel in his study and wishing she could fly to the landing that housed the medical bay deep inside the cave. Kara seemed to read her mind because in the next instant she was by his side, holding his hand.

He was clammy and shaking uncontrollably. They had removed the mask and his insulated Batman suit was piled in a messy heap on the floor. He was wrapped in reflective foil with heat bags piled on top.

"It was Freeze," Dick explained. "He trapped us in ice. Kara got us out. We subdued him with anti-freeze serum and Gordan has him but Bruce isn't doing well. Kara should have got him out first. I'm younger and my heart hasn't been pushed like..."

"Shut... shut up... not... old..." Bruce chattered.

Chloe squeezed his hand and then his shoulder. "Don't talk, just rest. Breathe." She sent a frantic glace at the stats the medical station was showing. Bruce didn't like the voice feature, said it was creepy to have Pierce Brosnan assessing you, pointing out your weaknesses, your flaws so he'd muted the function. He preferred just to read the charts and read outs himself, or simply have Alfred chastise him over how badly he abused and neglected his body. Which the old man needed no prompting to deliver anyway.

Bruce knew what she was looking at, his core temp was climbing too slowly and his BP was poor. "Hey, at least... I kept...my promise."

Chloe dipped her head to his and pressed warm, open mouthed kisses against his cold lips. "No, don't you dare," she said pressing her cheek against his frigid one, willing her body heat to transfer to his. "You quit on me now and I'll...I'll... I won't let you go."

They both knew that there was always a chance that every trip outside they took could be their last. Either as a Wayne, or Batman and the ever present Red Hood. Both had enemies- powerful, jealous, people that could extract their revenge at any time. But she hadn't expected this, not tonight. Not when her whole world had seemed so perfect. It was Christmas. It was supposed to be the time for miracles, for love and family. Not death.

"Can't we get him more heat bags, adrenaline, something!" she cried.

Kara shook her head. "We gave him adrenaline already. He wasn't breathing and he didn't have a heartbeat when we thawed him out. Chloe, he's..."

She shook he head vehemently. "No, he's not. Look after the boys. You two, just go upstairs now. They don't need to see this." She knew they were both hovering at the top of the stairs, she refused to let them see Bruce this way. He was no quitter, it wasn't in his nature. She wasn't about to let him start.

Dick and Kara reluctantly meet the boys on the stairs leading out of the cave and forced them back in the direction of the mansion.

"But I want to... he's our Dad," Damian argued.

"And your Mom says go upstairs. You're going," Kara said bluntly, catching his arm as he tried to brush past. "You'll obey, come on. She just needs a minute or two with him, okay," she added more softly.

Damian hung his head, and Tim put his arm around his younger adoptive brother's shoulders. "He's strong, the strongest man I've ever known, and if there's anyone that can make him fight through this, it's Mom. It'll be okay, Damian."

When Bruce stormed out of the study and past the entrance to the sitting room not five minutes later, the boys were stunned and everyone took off after him. He'd dressed in the spare change of clothes he kept down in the cave. He was headed for the garage when Dick caught up to him.

"What happened and where are you going?"

"To make sure that Freeze gets what he deserves."

"You're not going out there," Kara warned, folding her arms across her chest.

"Watch me," Bruce growled, climbing in and turning the key in the ignition. He revved the engine and activated the door control.

Kara zipped into the path of the car as the garage door retracted, the blistering winds from outside, carrying the snow straight across the floor and raining over the windshield. Kara stood there her stance unyielding, the elements had no ill effect on her. Bruce hit the wipers while the boys and Dick scurried back the the relative shelter of the landing that led back inside the house.

"Unless you want to total another Lamborghini, I suggest you get out of the car," Kara said coolly.

Bruce hit the steering wheel, causing it to bounce. He angrily cut the engine and glared at her before getting out of the car and slamming the door so hard that the car rocked. "I made her do it. He made her do it. She swore she never would again, she swore to me that she wouldn't, not after Gordan. Not after she scared the life out of me for a second time."

"What are you..." It dawned on her then, the reason that Bruce was standing here obviously alive and well. "Chloe's..."

"She's dead, no heartbeat, no respiration, not a blip. I wasn't dying. I was weak but I wasn't dead. Why did she have to heal me? Why didn't any of you stop her!" he raged. "We know how unpredictable her ability is, how risky it is. She promised." He fell to his knees, tears blurring his vision.

Kara closed the distance between them and put her hand on his shoulder, felt him shudder and groan like a wounded animal at her touch. The boys looked at their father and twin expressions of complete devastation on their faces, they seemed frozen at a total loss at what to do. So Dick nodded at Kara silently and wordlessly let them back into the house.

When he settled them in their rooms, Damian throwing himself on his bed burying his face in his pillow, Tim silently sitting next to him, tears coursing down his cheeks. Dick closed the door and clenched his jaw. He went down to the cave and saw Alfred sitting in a chair, holding Chloe's hand. Her pale, petite form looking so small on the medical table where Bruce had been lying only moments before.

"I thought she only took on the injuries of the person. I thought she only died if the person she was healing was already dead."

Alfred shook his head. "Bruce doesn't remember. He did die. His heart stopped. Chloe tried everything, charged to 60 and shocked him half a dozen times before she started compressions. She got up on that table and begged him to come back. When he didn't she just kissed him, crying and then... her power took over and he was back."

"So he does blame himself. I think he knows, and that's why he's angry. He would never have wanted to come back, not if it meant she wasn't here waiting for him." Dick shook his head sadly. "What do we do? She's come back before. From death."

Alfred wrung his hands nervously. "Each time has been longer than the last. And even the wounds she takes are taking a lot longer to heal. It's like her body is slowly rejecting her altered state. The mutation was never natural. She's always feared that something would change, all those meteor infected, their abilities come with a price."

"Dying, feeling other people's pain literally wasn't a price enough?" Dick asked bitterly.

"He made her promise never to use her power, especially not on him. She agreed. I don't think she intentionally meant to..."

Dick let out a scoff. "That's where you're wrong. She sent all of us away, everyone but you, because she knew that if there was anyone who'd want to save Bruce as badly as she did, it's you." He let the words hang in the air until Alfred dipped his head in defeat. "It's okay. I understand. He's like a son, and children are never supposed to precede their parents in death. But there are two boys upstairs who need someone right now. A father, or a grandfather. Bruce isn't going to be much help for awhile."

Alfred shook his head. "I can't leave. I need to be here."

Dick sighed. "You can't think... Alfred, we don't know if she will. She's stone cold, no heart beat, nothing."

"You were here once before. You've seen what she can do."

"Not for many years, Alfred. If I remember right the last time was over ten years ago. And you said yourself her body isn't responding the same way anymore."

Alfred refused to be deterred in his belief. "Just help me get her upstairs, I want to keep her comfortable."

Three days passed before Alfred began to give up hope. Bruce was impossible to be around, when he was in the house he was like a caged irritable grizzly, lashing out at anything and anyone who crossed his path. Alfred had put Chloe in their bedroom but aside from staying her the first 24hrs silently hopeful that maybe Alfred was right, that they just need to give her time for her ability to kick in, Bruce had been in the cave working, rarely venturing out.

Hal arrived when he'd heard the news via Justice League HQ. Kara had given them the update. Everyone who knew Chloe had come to pay their respects. Olivia and Lois had stayed the longest, Olivia even suggesting that they put her in a stasis pod to help her ability along, just in case her body being in limbo was putting undue stress on her body's chance to re-start. But since Bruce made himself absent, she couldn't even brooch the subject with him, although Alfred promised he'd make the suggestion.

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**Arkham Island**

Clark touched down silently and he watched Bruce stiffen at the bank of computers he was standing in front of. He was wearing his Bat suit and had a good growth of beard covering his face.

"Did Alfred send you? Or was it the wife?" he snorted bitterly.

Clark walked up the short flight of stairs to the platform that housed this secondary base of operations, computer systems. "Just how many of these places do you have set up around the city?"

Bruce squared his jaw. "My secrets keep me ahead. I only ever shared everything one person, that's not about to change."

Clark sighed softly. "I bowed out gracefully..."

Bruce twitched a malicious smile at that. "If you want to call it that."

Clark folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at the grieving man. Although it was obvious looking at him that he was in denial. He was avoiding her, he was avoiding his family, he was avoiding everyone, focusing on nothing but punish Gotham's criminals for taking she who was most precious to him. Most of all he blamed Arkham for their repeated failures at containing their patients. Which was why Clark knew he'd find him here, on the island. Holed up in secret, vigilantly keeping watch. Only he didn't realize how well Bruce was set up to stay indefinitely. This place hadn't been created overnight, it had been here for a long time. Maybe years.

"I respected your relationship with Chloe, I envied you for having the courage to embrace everything she is, for not being afraid of her challenging you, asking the hard questions, pushing you to be the best you can be, living up to her expectations."

Bruce let out a hollow laugh. "I've failed her more times than I can count. She won't let me give up or walk away. She'd chase me down and beat me silly for ever even thinking of leaving her behind."

"You were there for her when I wasn't. When I chose not to be. And when I finally realized who she was, saw everything that she'd always been waiting for me to see, it was too late. She already had you. You didn't want to change her, but you did give her wings to fly to be great, to stand as an equal, all she'd ever wanted."

"Why are you here?" Bruce growled. "To remind me of what I've lost?"

Clark did his best not to flinch at the raw pain on his face. He shook his head. "No, I came here to remind you, not to give up hope. Because she never would give up on you."

Bruce turned away from him gripping the desk so hard that the surface gave a groan. "No one can cheat death. Not that many times. Eventually, it's going to stick and... no amount of begging, pleading or praying can change that."

"You haven't seen her in days. She's not fading away. She's trapped in some kind of stasis. Instead of chasing down the insane, you should be searching for answers. Looking for a way to help her."

Bruce pounded his fist into the desk. "You think I haven't been pouring over her blood work, looking at scans, reading the results from Lex's lab reports and comparing to the ones we've routinely done over the past few years trying to figure out a way to help her? She never wanted this ability. We've been trying to correct it. Nothing will cure the poison from her heart, from her cell tissue, from her blood. Olivia's treatment didn't work, not like it did for Moira. Not even Emil's nanites could extract it. Her body rejects any foreign entity biological or not, neutralizes it on contact."

"I'm sorry," Clark offered. "I didn't know."

Bruce shoulders sagged and he hung his head. "Don't tell me I'm not dealing with this. You don't know... you can't possibly understand what it's like to see her that way."

Clark crossed the room and put his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "No, I don't," he said honestly. Because as much as he loved Chloe, he knew it wasn't even a fraction of how his friend felt about his wife, his partner against injustice, his soul mate. "I do know that if she doesn't come through this though, and you weren't there, you'll carry that with you for the rest of your life. Just be with her. I saw her when Lois sat with her yesterday. She's pale, unresponsive but it's like she's just sleeping. Lois held her hand, touched her face. She swore that there was still warmth there. And I scanned her, there's not a trace of deterioration. This isn't different to any of the other times she's healed someone."

Bruce shook his head angrily. "Yes, it is, because she healed me. We had a deal, she promised me. Swore to me that she wouldn't. We even worked on mental blocks so her ability would never be triggered unconsciously. She chose to do this. She broke her promise."

"So this is you punishing her?" Clark asked incredulously.

Bruce whirled on him. "I think you forget what you've trusted me with. I suggest you leave, Clark. Before you say something that will get you punched in the face."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes:** Dream4, I'm glad you like this. Thank you for the favorite add and thank you for challenging me to write it by requesting this.

ChamberlinofMusic, Angie B, TessFan, thank you for reading and sending your thoughts. I promise this doesn't end with angst.

Critic Reviewer, we're on the same wave-length, that's all I'm going to say :) And thank you for the favorite add.

Jade121, one hero I could never kill off or torture indefinitely is Bruce. I love him too much. He's my knight in shining black leather! :D So his lady love will come back to him, I promise. Thank you for the favorite add. So glad you're enjoying this.

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**Wayne Manor**

Hal knocked on the door and found Tim sitting by Chloe's bedside.

"She just looks like she's sleeping, like some of those coma patients... she's not dead, right Hal. She's gonna wake up?"

"I wish I knew, kid. But I bought something that might help. There's this planet on the outer rim. They're all science, nature buffs. Almost spiritual. You could say it's like a religion to them, being one with nature. I spent a bit of time with them and they learned about Carol. Gave me a powder from a planet root, they said might help. Said it was purifying, healing or something like that. Sometimes I think a bit of the meaning can get lost in translation."

He shook the bag of green iridescent dust. "I haven't seen Carol in four years. The last time we saw each other, she made it obvious she'd moved on. You guys need this more than I do."

Alfred entered then carrying a bottle of saline, small crucible, a needle, some cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. "I paged Master Bruce but he's not answering. He seems to disappear without a trace anytime anyone comes to visit."

"They explained that I just had to get her to drink it, but since Chloe's out, I guess putting into her veins should work too."

Alfred mixed the powder with saline, drew the liquid into the syringe and then pieced Chloe's chest, emptying the contents into her heart.

"How long is it suppose to take?" Tim asked, sitting a straighter and watching for any sign of life from Chloe.

Hal shrugged and folded his arms. "They weren't exactly forthcoming about that. Something about the strength of spirit, being in touch with life energy or something. We're not from their world so I don't know how they expected the same rules to apply."

"You really think it will work?" Bruce said skeptically from the doorway. "Or are you here feeding fanciful alien civilization nonsense to a boy who'd believe anything if it meant not letting go."

As much as he had wanted to break into his Kryptonite vault and take a bit of his frustration out on his tall, steel wall of a friend, Clark did make him realize he was being an idiot. While he was angry, feeling betrayed and hurting, nothing mattered more to him than Chloe. And if she knew that he'd spent all this time away from her, wallowing in self pity, she'd kick his ass through next week. He should be with her; for as long as it took. Because listening to Clark, who could see as far as the edge of the galaxy and recognize something as unique and microscopic as an individual's DNA, it had ignited a spark of hope in him, that no amount of argument or wistful words from anyone else could have.

There was a sharp gasp and all eyes flew to the bed.

"Chloe!" Bruce exclaimed, he bolted across the room and gathered her up, crushing her to his chest. He couldn't say another word, the grief he'd been carrying for so long finally exhausting him that all he could do was cling to her.

"Hal?" Chloe looked at the man in green who winked at her warmly.

"Welcome back. I think you better find a new kind of immortality because this guy, well he's insufferable without you."

Chloe nodded and ran her hand through Bruce's hair, kissing his forehead before reaching for Tim, pulling him into a three way hug. "Alfred, thank you for taking care of my boys. How long was I out?"

"Three days, Miss. Far too long I'm afraid."

Chloe swallowed thickly. It was almost twice as long as she'd ever been out. Bodies started completely decomposing in less. "Then how..." How did she feel so well, there wasn't a twinge of pain in her whole body, she'd never felt so rested or energized, she thought to herself.

"If you believe in foreign medicine, not of our galaxy. Thank the people of Gren-Uki, Sector 3221. At was from a plant with healing properties."

"You should bottle and patent it," Chloe said lightly teasing.

"It's sacred to their people, they don't share it with outsiders. I guess they just really like me."

"You're a like-able guy, Hal," Bruce offered, his smile genuine. He reluctantly released Chloe and embraced Hal who was too stunned to reciprocate at first.

"You're welcome." His ring glowed and he offered them an apologetic smile. "Boss is calling. I'd still get checked out, just to be on the safe side. Alien medicine and all that. I'm glad you're back, Chloe. Everyone's missed you."

The ran every test they could themselves with the Thomas IV medical station and sent the results to Lucius, along with a fresh blood sample. In which, Lucius requested several more in the following days just to be sure of what he was seeing.

When Lucius finally came to see them, they thought he was smiling simply to confirm himself what they already suspected, she was completely free of any trace of greenK radiation. But that wasn't why he was wearing his, 'I know something you don't know' grin.

"I'd suspect, that shortly you'd want to make an appointment to see Dr. Keller again."

Chloe frowned slightly at Lucius' cat ate the canary grin. He seemed immensely proud of his cryptic remark. Why would they want to go to see Dr. Keller, the fertility specialist and highly recommended OBGYN in New York, unless. Chloe couldn't be more stunned and the look on Bruce's face was literally priceless. Obviously, he'd clued in a lot faster than she had. He was the master at deduction after all. Bruce's expression was a mixture of awe, disbelief, joy and pride, before he finally settled on elation.

Bruce scooped her up in the middle of the foyer, spinning her around in circles and yelling out his excitement while Alfred and Lucius looked on with happy smiles. The boys raced down the stairs to find out what all the commotion was about.

He set her down slowly and Chloe chuckled while he kissed every inch of her face. "You do realize that we're going to be one those old first time parents handling a newborn right," Chloe teased. "By the time he'll be in college, you'll probably be needing a cane for real," she concluded, referring to his prop that he used to cover his sporting injuries that actually came from Batman's exploits.

Bruce growled softly at her. "I'm not that old."

"Hey, I'm approaching the big 4-0, that makes you..."

"Not another word," he warned.

Lucius raised his hand. "Actually, if I were a betting man, I'd wager you're expecting a girl."

Bruce frowned while Chloe's eyes went wide and her smile grew a little wobbly. "A girl? How do you know, she's barely pregnant."

"Exactly. She was out for three days, but whatever Hal gave her cured and rejuvenated her on a cellular level. She's only just registering hCG. I'm no fertility specialist but I did major in biology, I'm simply doing the math."

They hadn't done anything but hold each other the first night, and anything after that would be far to early to show up in her blood. Having her back, Bruce was content just to keep her close. Finally having the first restful sleep he'd had in days while she played with his hair and hummed to him until he drifted off. They'd never gotten pregnant before. Her eggs had never been viable. If Hal's healing dust had healed, well, everything, then that meant any ovum that had been present may have been too, and his swimmers that had survived from their Christmas tryst where, probably only X-chromosomes.

"We're having a little girl," Chloe whispered in disbelief, her eyes moistened with tears. "We're having a baby."

Bruce hugged her close and smiled at the boys over her shoulder. "How's that for a Christmas miracle?" he asked them.

Tim beamed while Damian pouted a little, before shrugging with a smile. "Ella's okay, I guess a little sister wouldn't be so bad."

"Those were famous last words, young master. Famous last words," Alfred said with a twitch of his lips.

Chloe held her arm out and the boys closed the distance, barreling into their parents. They four shared a group hug.

"Now go pack. We're off to see your grandma for New Years," she said ruffling both their head's fondly.

"California, yay! It's gotta be warmer than here," Damian whooped happily.

"You're not going to tell him are you?" Chloe teased when the boys were out of earshot.

"What, that Star City's had rain for the past week and has thunderstorms forecast for the rest of the week? No way, it'd spoil his fun. They need something to look forward to and besides, I'm starting to believe in miracles. Who's to say there won't be sunny skies once we get there?"

"Bruce Wayne, the optimist. I never would have believed it."

"I live with a woman who has defied the odds her whole life, I'm starting to believe anything's possible."

"Even magic? Zatanna would love to hear that."

"I wouldn't go that far," Bruce said with a discouraging frown.

Chloe simply laughed. Her heart felt so full she had to put her hand to her chest to calm the palpitations. She thought she had everything. She believed that her life couldn't be more perfect, she had an adoring, heroic, selfless husband, two brilliant minded boys who looked up to Bruce and wanted to emulate him and were so headstrong and analytical that occasionally she forgot they weren't theirs by blood, they seemed to share so many of their character traits. And despite their rough young lives before joining their family, she'd never come across more grateful and socially conscious boys. She loved her family, she'd never really felt it was lacking anything, but if she was being honest, she'd always envied Olivia for her little girl and she knew Bruce did too. Not only that, but to have a child that was his blood, a link back to the past. His parents. He loved Tim and Damian but there wasn't a man she'd met that didn't wish for his own child someday. She put a hand to her still flat stomach and a nervous flutter curled under her touch. She'd feel that growing life soon enough and she beamed at the thought. Their baby. Their very own baby girl.

FIN


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